Heelplate



w. B. JOHNSON Aug. 12

HEELPLATE Filed Aug. 5. 1923 Patented Aug. 12, 192- 5 PATENT FF 1 C E.

VJESLEY 13. JOI'ZNEaQN, 0F ROCKFORD, ILLINOISi Hamsters.

Application filed August 3, 1923. Serial No. 655,550.-

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, VVnsLEor B. J OHNSOJN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HeelPlates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains in general to boot and shoe making, and has more particular reference to metallic wear plates for heels.

The primary object. of my invention is to provide as anew article of manufacture, a top lift, with a heel plate attached, constructed: in such novel manner as to constitute a unitary article which may be easily and readily applied to a heel, and which when properly applied will be securely retained on the heel and will greatly increase the life thereof. I

In furtherance of this object, my invention contemplates the provision of a heel plate built, into a top lift and including spurs or the equivalent for permanently securing the plate in connection with the top lift. By reason of this construction the top lift with heel plate combined may be applied as a unit to a heel in the same manner as an ordinary top lift and requires no special skill or additional operation on the part of the shoemaker or repair man in the ap plication.

Another object is to so construct the heel late in its connection with the top lift as not to impair the degree of fastening between the latter and the heel proper, this being accomplished by providing a nail or peg receiving space between the striking portion and the spur-carrying portion of the plate so that the plate-equipped por tion of the top lift may be directly secured to the heel proper in the same manner as any other portion of the top lift.

Still another object is to provide an article of the character described which may be economically produced and marketed and which will serve in a practical and satisfactory manner the purposes intended.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated by those skilled in this art as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a face view of a top lift equipped with a heel. plate embodying my invention;

vention, the-heel plate. is cast in a single.

piece. of suitable metal, such for example as. hard iron. While the shape, may be varied, that shown is prearreaes; being thoroughly practical. and; serviceable;

The plate 'comprises a curved arcuate striking portion 6 following in contour that of the striking end of thehe'el and being set into the top lift 7 of'the heel, as plainly shown. Said striking portion is preferably of the same depth or thickness as the top lift and presents a narrow striking face 8, which I find is of'ample area for all practical purposes and allows as will be presently seen, greater area for the application of nails for securing the top lift to the under lift-s. I

The striking portion 6 has formed integrally therewith, a narrow fastening portion 9 coplanar with its top portion, joined at the ends 11 to said striking portion, and spaced intermediate its ends therefrom so as to rovide an area 12 for the application 0 nails for securing the top lift to the under lifts. receive the fastening portion, thus leaving the top lift intact, except for the portions cut out to receive the heel plate.

The heel plate is permanently secured to the top lift by means of spurs 13 formed integral with the fastening portion 9 and piercing the top lift, reaching downwardly therethrough and flattened at their points into the face thereof, as plainly shown in Fig. 5.

By reason of the foregoing construction, the top lift and heel plate become a unitary structure and constitute an article of manufacture adapted to be applied in the making of a heel the same as an ordinary top lift not equipped with a heel plate.

In applying the top lift, it will be observed that the latter may be secured by nails or pegs to the under lifts in the usual manner and that one or more nails 14 may be passed through the portion 12 for firmly securing the plate-equipped part of said The top lift is cut out to top 11s; 1w said under lifts. n1 will be bserved that when the heel plate is so applied,the fastening portion 9 is confined between adjoining lifts and is permanently secured to the top lift by means of spurs 13.

The heel plate is obviously fastened more securely in position by reason of the fact that some of the nails may be passed directly between the striking and fastening 10V port-ions 6 {and 9 respectively, of the plate. 'Theetop lift may obviously be of any suitable material, and the means for fastening such top lift or the-equivalent to the heel need not necessarily be nails as other expedients might be employed for-this purpose. By building the heel plate into the top lift and securing itthereto by means of spurs or the equivalent, a unitary article as described above, is obtained, which may be sold as a new article of manufacture; This. new article obviates the necessity of the shoemaker or repair man fitting the heel plate to the top lift, which operation. with the usualtype of set-in heel plates requires careful workmanship.

As a result of the present invention, it will be'manifest that top lifts in large quantities may be uniformly cut out for the reception of the heelfplate by means of proper cutting machines or tools, and that when the heel plate/is applied and aflixed by clamping the spurs the new article is completed and readyfor application to a heel.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clear understanding of the objects prefaced 1 above, and while I have illustrated but a single working embodiment it should be understood that various changes might be made in details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the in- I spaced from said striking portion and at its ends joined integrally thereto so as to allow an unobstructed body portion intermediate the striking and fastening portions through which fastening means may be passed through the body for securing it to the under lift of a heel, and spurs inlegral With said fastening portion at spaced points between its ends extending downwardly therefrom into the body for securing the heel plate thereto.

' WESLEY B. JOHNSON. 

